St. Lucia Simply Beautiful

August 30, 2011 

Harris At Large!  

THINGS CAN BE BETTER! 

There are so many things that can be done differently and should be done differently if progress is to be made that sometimes I feel like screaming at the world. That is how frustrating it can get sometimes. The social media is one place you can find some consolation where you share your frustrations with your group. I resort to that sometimes. 

Elections are upon us and I hear the politicians telling the people what they plan to do for them but what I am not hearing is what the people want for themselves. The communication seems to be one sided. When I was a much younger man I used to attend evening classes and there was a certain lecturer who was an Economic Planner and he recommended that planning should be done from the bottom up rather than from top down. This is the time to engage the politicians and discuss the issues that affect you and wherever possible identify solutions. 

At budget time the private sector is invited to submit proposals, at election time Civil Society should be invited to do the same. It is not what your country can do for you, it is what you can do for your country – JFK. There is too much reliance on the politicians to do things right, without any assistance from the citizens. Then when things go wrong the politicians are blamed. There are times that politicians refuse to take the advice of citizens but in many cases it is because many persons are not willing to stand up for what they believe. There is need everywhere for participatory governance.

This is the time for voters to present their wish lists to the politicians. Some of the things that come to mind include:- 1. To provide education that is relevant to the needs of the society, and will not only educate young people but equip them with skills for work and life. 2. To establish a trade school that will teach essential skills. The process should begin from Primary School. 3. To create a Ministry or Secretariat for Innovation and Technology. 4. To create an enabling environment to facilitate expeditious processing of business approvals, using the ONE STOP principle. 5. To implement a global Tourism and Investment Ambassadorial Programme that will supplement the activities of the National Development Corporation and the Tourist Board. 6. To get the Trade Representatives in all Embassies and High Commissions to visit trade shows and arrange investment missions to and from St. Lucia. 7. To erect a 500 room Hotel in Vieux Fort with a Casino and all amenities that will provide a high level of customer satisfaction. 8. To give special incentives to successful companies that will open up their share holding to the public so that citizens can get a better return on their investment than banks currently offer on savings and fixed deposits. 9. To forge a strategic partnership between Government and the Private Sector. To support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises by strengthening the institutions that assist them, including the St. Lucia Industrial and Small Business Association (SLISBA) and the Saint Lucia Coalition of Services Industries Inc.

 I am hopeful that my readers will come forward with other ideas to help the Government to help its citizens. We are living in times some may consider to be the last days but things can be better if everyone makes an effort to ensure that elected officials exercise the mandate given them at the polls in the best interest of the people not only of the people who elected them but the nation as a whole. 

I will be back in the studio to record a new series of Let’s Talk Business scheduled to be aired on Wednesday 7^th September, 2011 on McDowall Broadcasting Service (MBC) – Television for Everyone, formerly Health and Wellness Television (HWTV) on channels 42 LIME and 52 Karib Cable. You are invited to contribute to the station with your ideas and even to host a show. Please feel free to contact the station and suggest events that you will like to be covered. MBC – Television for everyone!

Remember always to Keep the Faith, God is in Charge, Dream Big and expect Daily Miracles!

 Edward Harris

Biblicist, Freelance Journalist, Author, Realtor, Business & PR Consultant

Email: eaharrisdestiny@gmail.com

Websites: www.stluciapropertydeals.com www.stluciasimplybeautiful.com

www.groups.yahoo.com/group/globalmillionairesclub

www.brainstorminggroup.webs.com  www.cariblist.com  St. Lucia – Agent ECREDMC

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